Baba – what??

It certainly seems that I am not the only one who enjoys stir-fries. They really are a great 'go-to' meal for those busy nights, and I love how you can add pretty much anything to the mix depending on what you are craving (or what you have in the fridge!)

The lovely Lorraine enquired what I do if I don’t have a particular ingredient when it is drawn from the Mystery Box. 

Normally I choose the ingredient in the morning, or even the night before, so that I can run to the shops before dinner. Or, if I am doing a big grocery shop, I might even pick out a few ingredients from the Mystery Box on the weekend so that they can be bought and used during the week ahead.

Take tonight for example.

This morning I knew that we had no dinner plans, so I grabbed an ingredient from the Mystery Box before work for some Friday night inspiration.

The chosen ingredient.....eggplant!

I was going to go with an eggplant parmagiana-type dish, but when I came across a recipe for babaganoush.....well I was sold!

I can't actually remember the last time that I had this lovely eggplant dip. I normally opt for hummus these days, so chances are it was probably smeared on a lamb kebab at some ungodly hour in my university days. Ahh the memories ;) 

Anyway, those days have long since gone, so I decided on a more "adult" use for this lovely dip…a healthy snack platter.

   

Preparing the star of the show could not have been easier.

Halve eggplant, cook at 400F for 40 minutes. Throw in a few garlic cloves for the last 10 minutes.

Then remove the skin, and process with tahini, lemon juice, garlic, a pinch of chilli powder and olive oil.

 

Served warm with a variety of veggies and rice crackers.

A wholesome, albeit random, Friday night treat :)

The babaganoush was beautifully creamy, with a slight hint of spice from the chilli. Definitely something that I would make again.

What about you? What is your favourite dip?

Happy baking :)

Tamari Thursday

A whirlwind day trip to Sydney for work, combined with an evening photography class, meant for a quick and easy dinner this evening.

I delved into the Mystery Box, and had my fingers crossed that the chosen ingredient would be something I had in the pantry, or at least an ingredient I was familiar with.

When I drew out tamari I breathed a sigh of relief.

     

I have a HUGE bottle of tamari in my pantry, which is regularly used as my wheat-free substitute for soy sauce.

Tamari is a rich Japanese soy sauce, which is wheat free, making it a good alternative for those who are wheat or gluten intolerant.

Being a little short on time, I opted for a simple stir-fry for dinner. I was going to add some chicken or tofu, but we  had neither on hand, so a vegetable & tamari stir-fry with rice noodles it was.

While I prepped the veggies, I had the rice noodles soaking in boiling water to soften.

Added to a hot wok was a good amount of chopped garlic…..because you know I like my garlic .

Followed by carrots, snow peas, capsicum, mushrooms and zucchini.

  

And finished with the tamari, rice noodles and good handfuls of bean sprouts and fresh coriander. I personally love the extra crunch that bean sprouts give to a stir-fry.

  

(PS. An extra set of hands is very useful when trying to stir and take photos of this super speedy dish).

Served in my favourite bowls from Japan, and with a sprinkling of roasted cashews.

Discounting the preparation time, this dish can go from wok to table in under 5 minutes. A great, healthy and speedy weeknight meal!

   

Do you have a favourite stir-fry ingredient? Mine would either be carrot or bean sprouts. Oh and I can never say no to fresh coriander.

Happy baking :)

Split peas? Yes please!

Training: Run 5km

This evening I again turned to the Mystery Box for some dinner inspiration.

And the selected ingredient was.....split peas.

 

I must admit I was initially a little stumped.

 

Sure I have cooked with beans and legumes many times, but I have never actually cooked with split peas before. This is definitely the aspect of the Mystery Box that I have been loving the most - the encouragement to step outside the square and try new ingredients.

Did you know? Split peas are full of soluble fibre, and can help with conditions such as IBS and lowering cholesterol. The peas also include isoflavones, which are helpful in reducing the risk of breast and prostate cancer.

Given that I had a few hours until Mr BBB would be home, I figured a slow cooked split pea soup would be a perfect way to use the peas.

And, to keep Mr BBB from protesting too much that I was again feeding him soup for dinner (particularly in light of last's weeks parsnip / sardine disaster) I opted to include a smoked ham hock, making it a split pea and ham soup if you will….

(The split peas and a ham hock from our wonderful local butcher)

There are a plethora of pea and ham soups out there, so I turned to my favourite cookbook, Stephanie Alexander’s Cook’s Companion,  for some ‘tried and true’ guidance.  With a few extra veggies thrown in, of course.

I loved that this recipe was, in effect, a one-pot dish. It didn’t even require that the veggies be pre-cooked.

  

In my largest soup pot went 2 cups of dried split peas, diced onion, diced carrots, diced celery, a ham hock, 3 litres of water, a big handful of fresh thyme, a few bay leaves and 3 peeled garlic cloves.

 

Simmered for a good two hours or so. Let’s just say my house smelled divine as a result.

I then removed the ham hock and pureed 2/3 of the soup.

  

I returned the pureed mix to the pot, and added the ham (bone and skin removed, and chopped roughly).

The result? A flavoursome soup, enriched by the smoky ham.

  

Served with a slice of GF toast on the side.

This was actually a really yummy soup. And it even got the tick of approval from Mr BBB! So it looks like this one will be making a re-appearance during the cooler months. Next time I might use less liquid however to make a thicker soup.

What about you? Have you cooked with split peas before? I hear that they are also used a lot in Indian cooking.

Happy baking :)

ANZAC baking…

Training: Run 5km

    

On the 25th of April, Australia (and New Zealand) celebrated ANZAC Day.

ANZAC stands for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps. ANZAC Day, is a national day of remembrance and marks the anniversary of the first major military action fought by Australian and New Zealand troops in the First World War.

From the Australian War Memorial website:

“The Australian and New Zealand forces landed on Gallipoli on 25 April, meeting fierce resistance from the Ottoman Turkish defenders. What had been planned as a bold stroke to knock Turkey out of the war quickly became a stalemate, and the campaign dragged on for eight months. At the end of 1915 the allied forces were evacuated, after both sides had suffered heavy casualties and endured great hardships. Over 8,000 Australian soldiers had been killed. News of the landing on Gallipoli had made a profound impact on Australians at home, and 25 April soon became the day on which Australians remembered the sacrifice of those who had died in the war.”

Synonymous with ANZAC day are ANZAC biscuits, which hold a lot of history of their own.  These sweet biscuits, made using rolled oats, coconut and golden syrup, are claimed to have been sent overseas to the soldiers during WW1 (because the ingredients did not spoil easily and the biscuits kept well during transportation).

 

I have vivid memories of making endless batches of these beautiful biscuits when I was younger, which we would then hand out to veterans after the  ANZAC day dawn service at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne. It is a tradition that is very dear to my heart, and one that I hope to share with my own children one day.

Whilst this year we weren't able to attend the dawn service, I did put on my apron this evening to make a batch of these delightful biscuits.

And, when I was making the biscuits, I also remembered another not so glamorous tradition associated with these biscuits. Eating the biscuit batter…..very dangerous indeed ;)

There are a lot of recipes out there for ANZAC biscuits – but this is the one that I follow (adapted to be wheat free). It produces a chewy biscuit, just the way I like them.

ANZAC biscuits

Ingredients

• 1 cup oats
• 1 cup coconut
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup GF flour
• 125g butter
• 2tbs golden syrup
• 1tsp bicarb of soda
• 2 tsp boiling water

Method

Measure and mix the dry ingredients.

Meanwhile, melt the butter and golden syrup.  I do this in the microwave to save time and dishes.

Add the bicarb soda and the boiling water. The mix will froth a little.

Combine the wet and dry ingredients

 

Place teaspoons of the mix onto a lined baking tray and flatten slightly. Don’t place them too close together as the biscuits will spread during cooking.

 

Then bake at 150F for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on the baking tray for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool.

I guarantee these biscuits will not last long. I think I will send them to work with Mr BBB tomorrow.

What about you? Do you have any special baking memories?

Happy ANZAC baking :)

Coast lovin’

Part 1 and Part 2

After our bike and party adventures, we awoke Sunday morning ready for a leisurely brunch.

I had an oatmeal craving, so made a big bowl of yoghurt oats, topped with local honey, almonds and pepitas.

 



Also added to the offerings were fruit salad, eggs, bacon, mushrooms, potato and corn bake and toast.



    



I opted for fruit, a little eggs and a mushroom on the side. In addition to my oats that is!

 

Our bellies full, we spent the remainder of the day enjoying the farm and playing with a few of our furry friends.

       





While they may have been too young to ride, they were so friendly and inquisitive. And hopefully there are a few Melbourne Cup contenders among them ;)

With the day getting away from us, it was time for Mr BBB and I to farewell his family and head back over the mountain to home.

Not before having one last look at the beach – which I really miss when in Canberra.





It was wonderful to get away for a few days, and make the most of the last warm weather before Winter inevitably arrives.

Time to unpack!

Happy baking :)